During the CES show held last month, Casio showed off an interesting prototype of a cam that featured location-aware functions along with the usual point-and-shoot basics. Known as the Exilim EX-HG10, the cam was basically the 12.1-megapixel Exilim H10, but packed with a GPS sensor and 3D accelerometer to make for a location-aware hybrid cam that packed a 10x optical zoom and 720p HD video recording. It’s not a prototype anymore; Casio says they’ll be shipping it in October.

The HG10 is able to link images that it takes with its GPS module, allowing for geotagging. This works mainly outdoors though, since stepping under a roof could make it lose its GPS link. This is where the three-axis accelerometers earn its keep, allowing the cam to track and record the direction and distance you’re traveling so it never really gets “lost” when it loses the satellite link. The cam also comes with a built-in map that shows you where you’ve been (actually, where the camera has been), and where the photos and videos it took were captured.

For keeping track of your travels, the 10HG also comes with software features that you’d normally find on a treadmill: a pedometer, calorie counter, and a counter that tracks your total distance traveled.

As for the digicam part of this, um, digicam, it packs a 12.1MP sensor, a 10x zoom/ 24mm wide angle lens (another good plus for a travel-worthy point-and-shoot compact), and the previously-mentioned 720p video captures. It just lacks one thing that keeps it from being travel-worthy-awesome though: rugged features. This, coupled with the existing lens and GPS features, would have made this a heavy favorite for backpackers and adventurers.

The HG10 is due out in October for $400.

-via Electronista

Tags: Casio, Digital Cameras, Exilim, GPS

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